Life and its strange ways
by twentyfour.mad
Summary: Set between Season 5 and 6, my version of events on what happened during the 20 months, between Bill and Karen. Bill/Karen. Please Read and Review. Cheers.


**This is my contribution to the B/K forum 1000 Post Celebration. **

**Bill and Karen live on forever.**

**Dedicated to my friends over at the forums- Huddyalways-24-BK-MA, take5 and Palmer4President.**

_**Setting**_**: Between Season 5 and 6, what I believed happened during the 20 months between Bill and Karen.**

_**Disclaimer**_**: I do not own Bill, Karen, Curtis, Chloe, Morris, Milo, CTU and 24. **

* * *

It was only a date but her heart was pounding a million times faster than it should have- she was sure it was going to pop out. She was watching him in-between her bedroom curtains, he was coming out of his car after having sat in it for the past 7 minutes. Yes, Karen had counted. _A date with Bill, I have a date with Bill. My god_. Those were the only words running through her mind, as she skipped towards the front door of her house.

Bill was a step away from the door, when it opened in front of him revealing a blushed Karen half hiding in the darkness behind the door.

"Are you ready?" Bill asked, even though he knew she'd been ready for a long time.

"Yep, definitely," Karen grinned as she stepped out into the cold night-time air. She closed the door behind her and locked it, stuffing the key into her handbag.

"Come on," Bill said lightly as he gestured the way to the car. He liked the black low-cut dress she was wearing, but it made him feel even more nervous about the date than ever.

The drive was the most awkward part of the journey; Karen stared out the window while Bill racked his brains for something to say. Karen started some small talk by asking how CTU was doing and Bill replied and asked how Homeland was. It wasn't much but it lasted the whole 11-minute journey drive- yes Bill had nervously counted.

"Well here we are," Bill said as he entered the parking area for a restaurant

_Finally_ they both thought sighing with relief.

Five minutes had passed since they had been shown to their seats, and ordered their food. Three minutes had passed since someone had said something. Two minutes has passed since Karen's question to Bill had vanished into thin air, as she had her mouth open, ready to ask it. Half a minute had passed since Bill had nervously looked up into Karen's beautiful eyes and gave a small smile, which she shyly returned.

Bill had chosen a seafood restaurant because he knew how much Karen loved her seafood.

Karen finally had something to say and broke the ice by asking Bill if he had any siblings. That one question led onto many more, until the conversation sounded natural and as if it were curious husband and curious wife rather than curious boyfriend and curious girlfriend.

Even after their meal and had paid the bill for their course, the couple still had loads to talk about. Though once they started approaching Karen's condo, the conversation died down until it was sort of uncomfortable for them both. Bill walked Karen to her door as the gentleman that he was.

"So, um… would you like to come in?" Karen asked as she unlocked the front door trembling slightly. She didn't know if she was trembling at that moment because she was cold or because of how uncomfortable the current situation was.

"Oh, no- I've got to get home, and you need your rest if you're going to work tomorrow. I'm just curious but may I ask you why you work on Sundays and why so late?" He questioned Karen. _Great work… right…_ Karen remembered.

"Yeah, basically all the agents at Homeland ask me that particular question practically every week." Karen laughed lightly

"So the answer is?" Bill nodded, wanting her to continue.

"It's because I really don't have anything really better to do on a Sunday than to relax and well… sleep."

"Well that's what 'normal' people do on a Sunday."

"Oh, so I'm not _normal_ now?!" Karen said slightly intrigued.

"Haha, I didn't mean it like that." Bill smiled.

There was another awkward silence, and they felt a slight breeze pass them.

"What would you do then, if a man asked you on another date on a _Sunday_?" Bill said obviously referring to himself.

"I would refuse, naturally." Karen said simply.

"Ah, don't be daft, Bill!" Karen continued with a laugh once she saw Bill's 'you've got to be kidding me' look. "Of course I would agree, well… I guess actually it really depends on who's asking,"

"7pm tomorrow, I'll pick you up from here." Bill grinned, after processing what Karen had just said.

"Sure, I'll see you then, Mr Buchanan." Karen replied as Bill kissed her on her cheek.

"Have a goodnight, Ms Hayes." He said nodding, and then Bill was off towards his car, leaving an extremely happy Karen at her doorstep.

_What a date, what a date. _Karen thought as she turned around and entered her condo.

* * *

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Leaning back in his oh-so comfortable chair in his office, Bill mused over his past interactions with Karen, on their dates and at work. One of the memories he had remembered was when he told Karen she looked much better with her hair down and should always keep it like that. He remembered the date after he'd told he to keep her hair down, the first thing Karen said was that all her colleagues had complimented her on her 'new look'; since she had started to wear her hair down, and they all told her it made her look much younger and happier for that matter. He also recalled she was ecstatic when she told him that.

Looking at his watch, Bill felt a bit more excited as he realised it was only a couple hours until his next date with Karen.

After signing and looking over the last sheet of paperwork for the day, Bill glanced down at his watch again it read 7:15. He knew he had to get going soon, if not then, if he was to change into more casual clothes and pick up Karen at 7:45. He put his pen onto the table and stood up. After stretching a bit he picked up his briefcase and pushed in his chair under his desk and headed out and down from his office. He noticed that Curtis, Chloe, Morris and Milo were still at their stations working.

"Hey guys, head home early- I see the next shift starting to come in," Bill said in his authoritative tone; nodding to the director of next shiftwho had just entered the building.

" I think I might stay a little later tonight, I just need to check up on something," Curtis replied, looking up at Bill for a brief second before returning his gaze to the computer screen.

"See you all next week then." Bill smiled talking to all four of them. He noticed Morris and Chloe preparing to leave together, and Milo eyeing the couple with maybe a hint of jealously in his eyes. Bill turned around and headed towards the door.

"Uh, Mr Buchanan." Bill hears Chloe say after him. He looks her way as she continues. "Uh... tell Ms Hayes… hi from me," She says a bit hesitantly.

_How the h-ll did Chloe know I was meeting Karen? _ Bill thought as he walked out of the building towards his car. _I guess I'll never know…_

* * *

Karen was still curious as to where they were heading for their 10th date as they drove along they highway. All he told her was to put on something warm and comfortable.

She tried asking him and nagging him, but like a stubborn rock- he didn't budge.

They parked in a parking space near what seemed deserted building, in the middle of nowhere. There was a giant pole in front of the car that read. '_Tow away area. Do not park here. Any illegally parked cars will be towed immediately._'

"Bill," Karen said nudging him and pointing to the sign.

"It's fine, I've got things covered," Bill replied smiling and getting out of the car. _ I sure hope you do Bill, because I'm not walking home from all the way out here, wherever here is _Karen gulped nervously, as she too exited the car.

"Hey, partner." They both hear a voice yell from the now, not-so-empty building. _Now we're in for it_ Karen thought, as she looked up at the guy who just spoken. The man looked unshaven and untidy with a big potbelly slightly sticking out of the window frame he was leaning out of.

"Hey Ross! How's everything going?!" Bill shouted back to the man, Ross.

"You know that man?" Karen practically whispered to Bill.

"Yeah, he owes me a lot of favours." Bill told her.

"It's all good Bill, ah so is that your lady friend? She looks pretty hot to me. Aye." Ross laughed. Karen blushed a bit when she heard him say that.

"Hey Ross, don't talk to Karen like that, she deserves some respect." Bill replied shaking his head. "Oh, right I haven't introduced. Karen, Ross Lorimer. Ross, Karen Hayes." Bill continued.

"Hey Karen, I would love to come down and shake your hand but I must apologise, I can't, because I'm a bit busy. So anyway, nice to meet you, and I hope you have a good evening, aye."

"Uh, Ross," Karen said. "You don't happen to know where I'm going tonight, by any chance."

"Ah, yes actually I do. But the look on your man's face I probably shouldn't say, aye." Ross said giving a loud roar-of-a laugh. Karen quickly turned to look at Bill, and saw his expression change from a 'don't you dare say another word' stare, to an 'innocent' expression.

"So Bill, that's one favour for your car, only one more to go, aye." Ross shouted to Bill.

"Actually it's more like one down, and every day left of your life left to go," Bill replied smirking slightly.

"_Hey Ross, the baby broke off the handle for that machine… uh with the blue stripes on it."_ Someone yelled from inside the building.

"Ah, that's my woman- better go if I think I just heard what I heard, aye. See ya, aye." Ross smiled as he pulled himself back from the window, disappearing back into the building.

"That was weird, is that man, Ross a mechanic or something?" Karen asked Bill, as he locked the car door.

"Yep. That's some good analysing, if you figured that out," Bill replied nodding. "You see, Ross and I were good mates back at Uni, and when he was nearly busted for doing some illegal things- I can't go into detail because the case is closed- but I stepped in and helped him out, and in the end I helped to get him out of jail for the 9 years he was going to be sentenced. Then there was another similar incident some years back, I helped him out once again, he just scraped out of going to jail for the 15 years he was sentenced, but that time he had to pay quite a hefty fine."

"You helped out a criminal? But I guess, I understand why he owes you all those favours," Karen said, sprinting after Bill who had started walking off somewhere.

"Well, yes- that's why he owes me those favours, but I'm not sure if I'd call him a criminal as such. I'm not even sure if he was really guilty for those crimes, I was just helping him out as a friend. Wouldn't you help a good friend if they were suspected of a criminal offence, and were to be sentenced?" Bill queried Karen as they were walking side by side.

"I guess I would…" Karen trailed off.

"Karen," Bill started trying to change the topic. "You know how you said you hadn't been to a carnival since you were a little girl."

"Well… since I was 8, I think," Karen said not sure where this was going.

"Come here," Bill smiled motioning Karen towards where he had stopped walking.

Karen walked over to the corner of the building where Bill stood.

"What," Karen questioned as she stood looking at Bill.

"That," Bill said looking past Karen, and pointing in the same direction. Karen followed Bill's gaze and she realized in front of her was a grand carnival, lights flashing, music quiet but still audible, it was grand carnival indeed.

"Oh my gosh, Bill." Karen says covering her mouth in fear she'd scream in joy. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't worry Karen, you don't need to say anything." Bill grinned. Jumping in joy, Karen turned and hugged Bill tightly, and once she pulled away from that hug, they held each other's hand and walked into the carnival, the carnival that would soon tell them of a future that both- Bill and Karen; deep down already knew.

**A/N: I have more written, for another chapter, but I am not completely sure if I should post it. Please review and let me know what you think, and I might post this other chapter of mine. **

**Thanks for reading.**


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